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While Makke was in Germany I used the new beetle of my bosses. I guess a bus exists here, but I have no idea when he drives and I bet he doesn’t hit the village more than once per day.

Makke returned yesterday and as I wanted to bring some old clothes of female boss to the oxfamish thrift store I went with the bosses car, to wash it at the E.Leclerc in the typical french high-pressure car wash site.

After washing the car I started it. It made unbelievably loud and inconvenient noises. Just how I imagine piston jamming would sound. The more I accelerated the louder it went.

I thought I had broken the motor by washing the car. I didn’t dare to drive home like that. With a heavy heart I went to the garage of my confidence. I told them what had happened and a motor mechanic reproduced the sound.
He told me the sound comes from the compressor of the air con. Then he told me the compressor would cost only 545,50 Euro (693 USD, 442 GBP) , without installing it.

As they told me washing did not cause the problem (phew), -they must have thought I am a typical female idiot when it comes to cars, and yes I am- it wasn’t my fault and I didn’t pay anything. Took the estimate of costs and asked if I could drive home like that.
“Sure”, said the mechanic: “just push this button.” He pushed a button with the inscription “AC” (air con), the awful sound was getting worse for a moment and then it faded.
That was a bit embarrassing but I was happy I could go home.

I don’t know if the air con was broken all the time and if I hit that button by accident, not knowing it’s air con because in german it’s “Klimlaanlage” and in french “climatisation”. I’ll find out when the bosses come back and somehow I doubt they’ll repair it.